Slow Cinema

I have enjoyed Dust in the Wind and have been impressed by it, but actually with 20 minutes left I'm bored with it and don't really want to watch any more. Might get some cereals.

Hou doesn't give a damn about the audience not following the story or characters' identities. It's quite refreshing.

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San Franciscan lesbian dwarves and their tomato orgies.

A lot of Ho's 'brilliance' seems to me to rely on the skills of his main actor Li Tien-Lu.

I'm not a massive fan of his lack of narrative. The directors in the OP, and Wang as well, are observational, but they have a narrative ticking over and that works better for me.

Even the Cousin Joules, has the narrative/structure of his wife passing and his daughter turning up to help.

His films have a narrative. That many people don't get it or are confused is another thing.

I'm only 30 minutes in, but Cafe Lumiere is so far looking head and shoulders above his 20th century work for me.
He's learned a lot from Ceylan's Uzak.

Watching films with breaks to post on MoFo is like taking a break mid-sex with your lover to call your wife and talk about Jimmy's school grades.

Hitchcock movies could be slow

haha.

So, I did think Cafe Lumiere lost its way a little bit (as I've found with every one of his films tbh).

There was a good chunk in the middle of it though where I was completely captivated and enchanted, even transfixed for a few minutes.

There was one point where they were trying to find some place as part of her research, and for a moment there was plot. And I was so looking forward at that point to seeing this plot continue. But of course it just disappeared into thin air, and we were back watching her eating noodles on her own in silence before we even knew it.

It's a really nice movie though and it comfortably makes my list of films.

I'd have to watch it again probably to see if it make my top 100, but it's going to be there or thereabouts for top 10 Asian film since 1970, which is a pretty exclusive list.

I think Hou’s 80’s output were masterful pieces of observation and leisurely paced. His films allowed you to take in the moment with out any distraction, in which you (or at least I am) were very much invested in what is happening in the moment. The Assassin has some very breath taking scenery, as do most of his films really.
I prefer him slightly over Yang, if I’m being honest, but I’m probably in the minority there.

Ming Laing better than both.

whhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt???????????????????

giving the first one a try now.